Waiting for Tomorrow
by Settiai
Summary: All that mattered was surviving one day at a time. :: Lucy/Tish


Once upon a time, Lucy had loved him. He had promised her the world - the entire universe. And that was exactly what he had given her. The Toclafane were their children, eager to earn their parents' approval. She had danced as the Earth burned and the human race was brought to its knees, laughing with excitement the entire time.

Now, it seemed like a dream.

She stared at her reflection in the mirror, frowning at the fading bruise on her left cheek. It still ached as she reached up to touch it, a reminder of Harry's wrath. No, that was wrong. He was the Master now, nothing more and nothing less. She supposed that had always been the case, from the moment they met, but she had been blind to it back then.

He had called her his faithful companion. She had been a fool.

"There's no need to stare at your reflection, you know." Lucy stilled at his voice. She'd been so lost in thought that she hadn't heard the door open. "You're as beautiful now as you were the day we met."

Carefully schooling the expression on her face into a demure smile, she turned around. The Master was standing there, grinning as he watched her. As usual, his eyes were unreadable.

She bowed her head slightly. Uncertainly, even. Lucy had learned a long time ago that it was impossible to predict what he wanted when he came to her rooms. Sometimes it was nothing more than sex, completely physical and utterly normal. Other times . . . it was more complicated.

His smirk suggested this was one of those times.

The Master walked over to her, reaching out to brush some loose hair behind her ear. It took all her resolve not to flinch or shy away, but the lingering pain of her bruise was a reminder of what would happen if she did.

"You truly are stunning," he said softly, his voice barely more than a whisper.

Lucy forced herself to smile. "Thank you."

His face suddenly hardened. "Thank you?" he repeated coldly.

"Master," she quickly added. "Thank you, Master."

Just as quickly as it had come, his anger disappeared. Like an excited schoolboy, he pulled away from her and clapped his hands. There was a quiet scuffling sound from the hallway, and then two guards appeared in the doorway with a struggling woman held between them. As soon as she saw the Master and Lucy standing there, though, the woman seemed to deflate.

"Letitia Jones," the Master said, turning his attention away from Lucy and focusing on the woman standing in the doorway. "Tish, is it not? Just as gorgeous as ever."

Unlike Lucy, Tish hadn't had months to learn how to hide her true feelings. There was no hiding the look of disgust that crossed her face. Lucy looked away, well aware of what was going to happen next. She wasn't surprised to hear the sound of a fist striking skin a few seconds later.

Lucy forced herself to look up, to keep her gaze focused on the scene taking place in front of her. The Master was standing in front of Tish, still smiling even as she bit back a cry of pain. A thin line of blood trickled from the corner of her mouth.

"You'll do nicely," he said, all but bouncing with eagerness. He glanced back at Lucy. "Does she please you?"

Nodding, Lucy avoided meeting Tish's eyes. "She's a lovely woman."

The Master shot her a pleased look before snapping his fingers. "Leave us," he ordered the guards. They immediately let go of Tish's arms, and she stiffened. "Miss Jones knows what I'll do to her family if she fights."

Without saying a word, the guards turned and left. The door closed behind them with an audible click, leaving the room in an oppressive silence.

"Come closer," the Master said, gesturing for Lucy to join him by the door. She didn't hesitate, though she still kept from meeting Tish's gaze. It wasn't until she stopped at his side and he reached over to for her head up that she finally looked at the other woman's face.

Tish's eyes were burning.

The Master reached over and ran his finger across Tish's face. She shuddered slightly at his touch, but the look of deep disgust from earlier didn't appear. It appeared that she was a fast learner.

"I want you to kiss her," the Master said, glancing over at Lucy. His smile was a mixture of pride and anticipation. "Show me that you like the gift."

Lucy had played this game many times. Men, women . . . once, near the beginning, even a stranded alien that hadn't realized how dangerous the Earth had become. He would get bored soon enough, but until then she had no choice but to play along and give him what he wanted.

Without saying a word, she took a step forward and kissed Tish on the lips.

The other woman's reaction was instantaneous. She jerked back slightly, but Lucy had expected it. She leaned forward even more, not letting Tish pull away from her until she thought that she had given the Master enough of a show to placate him. After what felt like eons, when she heard him make a pleased sounds, she finally broke the kiss.

There was nothing to say, even if she had the courage to speak. She knew that she couldn't stand up to his wrath again, not so soon. All she could do was apologize to the girl with her eyes, hoping that her message went through. _I'm sorry. I have no choice._

Tish nodded almost imperceptibly. If Lucy hadn't been staring straight at her, only a hair's length separating them, she never would have seen it. _I know_, her eyes seemed to say.

Letting out a breath she hadn't even realized she was holding, Lucy leaned in and kissed Tish again. This time is was lighter, less for show and more real. She might not have a choice, but knowing that she wouldn't be blamed made it hurt less. It made it easier.

To her surprise, Tish kissed back.


End file.
